Recipe Re-Run

At the moment, we have a sick little dog and I have been spending my time tending to him and cooking up his meals.  Our meals have kind of gone by the wayside.

Today we are having Barbecue-y Beef Short Ribs that I posted back on June 13, 2008.  We love these ribs and I am doing everything the same except I am using boneless short ribs.

Happy Cooking!

Minestrone Soup III

I think this is the third minestrone soup reciep I’ve posted.  Minestrone is probably my favorite soup and I’m always trying new recipes for it.

You can easily make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken ~ one of thie reasons why I love this soup is because is so versatile.  You can adapt it to suit your needs.  This particular recipe called for 2 potatoes.  I’m sure they were added to helop thicken the soup but I don’t like it thick and there are already a bunch of carbs so I just left them out.   It also called for cabbage but I used spinach. I liked this version with just a smidge of tomato paste instead of diced tomatoes just for a change of pace.

Minestrone Soup III

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon basil
1/s tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 cup pearl barley (I used quick cooking barley and it was fine)
3 carrots, chopped
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
2/3 cup small shell pasta
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups baby spinach
Grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top, if desired

Heat the olive oil in a soup por or Dutch oven and saute the onion, celery, garlic, and spices for about 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add the barley, carrots and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Stir in the beans, pasta and tomato paste. Simmer until the pasta is al dente. Add the spinach and simmer for 5 minutes longer or until the spinach is tender.

Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.

Makes 6-8 servings

Happy Cooking!

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

Sometimes I feel like baking for breakfast but don’t want to do anything special or fancy.  I found this recipe on the Pillsbury website and we loved it.  It’s very much like my Monkey Bread but easier.

Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake

1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cans Pillsbury Grands cinnamon rolls with icing

Heat oven to 375º and spray a 13×9 pan with cooking spray.

Mix butter and brown sugar in a small bowl and then pour onto the bottom of the prepared pan.

In another small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon. Open the cans and separate into 10 rolls. Cut each roll into quarters. Place each piece of dough into sugar/cinnamon mixture coating all sides. Arrang ein single layer in pan.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the middle is not doughy.

Drop icing by teaspoonfuls over the top of the cake. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, cut in squares and serve.

Makes about 12-15 servings (more of less depending on how big the pieces are cut)

Happy Cooking!

Barbecued Pecans

I’ve been looking at this recipe for a year or two trying to imagine what barbecued pecans would taste like.   The price of pecans really had more to do with me not trying it.  What if I hated them and wasted all those pecans?  I made them.  They are addictive!

Now, they are not spicy but they are very flavorful.  If you want them spicier, just add more hot sauce or vice versa.

They would make great gifts!

Barbecued Pecans

2 tbsps butter, melted
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp hot sauce (use more or less depending on how hot you want them)
4 cups pecans halves
salt to taste

Combine butter, Worcestershire, ketchup and hot pepper sauce and pour over pecans. Stir gently until pecans are coated.

Spread on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper.

Bake at 300º for 30 minutes, stirring at regular intervals to prevent any burning.

After baking, immediately spread on paper towels to cool; sprinkle generously with salt while still hot so the salt will stick.

Cool and store in an airtight container.

Makes 4 cups

Happy Cooking!

French Dip Sandwiches

I love French Dip sandwiches and I’m always looking for a recipe that I really love ~ this one comes closest yet.  I like the beef to be a little salty with loads of flavor.  I don’t like putting all kinds of stuff on the bun except the meat and and some provolone and contrary to the name, I don’t dip them since I top the meat with some of the juice when it’s already on the bun.  I toast hoagie rolls and usually use provolone but I used horseradish cheddar for the sandwich in the picture.

It’s important to trim all the fat off the roast so the juice will not be fatty. This is a very easy crockpot recipe that I think you’ll love!

French Dip Sandwiches

1 large onion, sliced
1 can beef broth
1 (4 lb) beef rump roast, trimmed of all fat
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 (1 oz) pkg of Good Seasons Italian dressing mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
Hoagie buns
Provolone slices

Place sliced onion in the bottom of the crockpot. Add the broth. Place beef on top of onions and pour the balsamic vinegar over the beef. Sprinkle the beef with the Italian dressing, salt and pepper.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.

When finished cooking, place beef on a cutting board and slice. Place slices back in the juice in the crockpot and mix it well.

When ready to serve, spoon pieces of beef onto bottom of buns, add the cheese and serve with the juices from the crockpot.

***I toast up my buns under the broiler, add the meat and cheese and stick back under the broiler until the cheese melts. Then I add a little more juice to the sandwich.

Makes 4-6 hoagie-sized sandwiches or more if you use smaller buns.

Happy Cooking!

Apple Bundt Cake

I was searching around the internet for fall-type recipes and came upon a blog called Fresh Approach Cooking .  There, I found this super yummy apple bundt cake recipe.  It is one of the most moist recipes I have ever made.  The brandy really gives it a great flavor.

You can add 1 cup pecans (or any nut) with the apples if you want.  I used 2 Granny Smith apples and 2 Fuji apples ~ both peeled.

Here is the link to the original recipe ~ Apple Bundt Cake

Apple Bundt Cake

2 cups flour
2 tsps cinnamon
1 1/2 tsps nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
pinch of salt
1 cup of butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I used light brown but the author suggests dark)
4 large eggs
1/4 cup brandy
1 tsp baking soda mixed with 1 tbsp warm water
4 apples, cut into large chunks
1 cup nuts, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray and then sprinkle with white sugar.

Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt together and set aside.

Using a mixer, beat butter until creamy. Then beat in the both sugars. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the brandy, baking soda and water. Stir in the flour mixture and then add the apples and nuts until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool completely. It’s delicious with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Makes 12 servings.

Happy Cooking!

Easy Fish Sandwiches with Spicy Mayo

I was pleasantly surprised at how good these sandwiches were.  They are super easy to make at the last minute, too.  I found the recipe on Mixing Bowl.

I think you could use any kind of fish ~ grilled, baked, fried, frozen fish sticks or whatever you like.  It makes more spicy mayo than you need but I think it would be good on other sandwiches ~ like chicken.

Easy Fish Sandwiches with Spicy Mayo

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1 can of Pillsbury Grands biscuits
8 breaded frozen fish fillets
1/4 sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
3 tbsps picante sauce (whichever heat you like)
1 tsp chili powder
1 can (4.5 oz) diced fire roasted chilis (if you can’t find fire roasted, regular are fine)
1 cup coleslaw mix (may need more or less and you can also use shredded cabbage)

Heat oven as directed on can of biscuits. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

On a plate, combine the Parmesan cheese and lemon-pepper seasoning. Roll biscuit tops in this mixture and place on cookie sheet. Bake as directed on can. After baking, set aside.

Bake fish fillets as directed on package or according to your favorite recipe.

In a small bowl mix the sour cream, mayo, picante sauce, chili powder, and green chilies. Refrigerate until time to assemble sandwiches.

To assemble, split a roll, place fillet on the bottom (I fit two on mine), spread with some spicy may, place a tbsp or two of cabbage on top of mayo, and top with the top of the roll.

Makes 8 sandwiches (or in my case 4)

Happy Cooking!

When It Rains It Pours (and a recipe for Sherried Beef!)

Just as I was starting to get back into the swing of things, I took a fall in the yard and smacked my head, jammed my glasses into my eyes, and managed to do something to my leg at the same time.  So, after a week or so, I was feeling much better, my eyes were almost over being black and blue and I thought I was over it all.  Then came the staph infection in my leg.  I seem to do things in a BIG way, LOL!  Now that the infection seems to be under control, I’m back!

Before I forget, due to the amount of less than savory posts I have gotten here lately, I turned on the approval for all posts.  So if you’re posts went up immediately, they won’t anymore until I approve them.  I’m on a mission to have a polite place to post and there are ALWAYS some spoil sports.

Sherried Beef is one of those super easy, stick it in the oven and forget it meals.  I like it over noodles but DH likes it over rice so I make both as we are both happy.

Sherried Beef

3 pounds stew beef
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cans Golden Mushroom Soup
1 cup Sherry
1 (1 ounce pkg.) onion soup mix
Hot cooked noodles or rice

Mix all ingredients together in a 3 quart casserole. Cover and bake at 325º for 4 hours. Serve over noodles and rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Happy Cooking!

Stuffed Portobellos

This recipe is delicious!  When I was having trouble eating, I made it a few times.  There is a bit of prep time but other than that, it is a very easy recipe. I found the recipe in BH&G over the summer.

Stuffed Portobellos

1 small yellow sweet pepper, cut in thin strips
1 small red onion. chopped
1 medium zucchini, coarsely shredded
1 carrot, shredded
1 stalk celery, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 to 3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 (5 ounce) pkg fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
4 (4-5 inch) portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed
4 slices provolone cheese

Preheat oven to 425º and line a cookie sheet with foil (the non-stick foil works great).

In a large skillet, cook and stir the yellow pepper, onion, zucchini, carrot, celery, and garlic in the hot olive oil over medium-high heat for approx. 4 minutes. Stir in the basil, lemon juice and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Top with spinach and cover. Cook for 2 minutes or until the spinach is wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the crumbs and half of the Parmesan into the spinach/veggie mixture and set aside.

Arrange mushrooms, stemmed side up on the prepared pan. Top each with a slice of provolone. Divide spinach mixture among the mushrooms.

Bake 15 minutes (mushrooms may get a little watery but I didn’t have this problem). Top with remaining Parmesan and bake for 2 more minutes or until heated through.

Makes 4 servings.

Happy Cooking!

Salisbury Steaks with Gravy

Gosh I was busy last week getting ready for our yard sale.  It was worth it!  It was a success and someone actually said it was the most organized yard sale they had ever seen.  That in itself is an oxymoron, LOL!

I don’t know why they call this steak ~ it’s a burger with gravy.  It’s really yummy and I crave them every once in awhile.

Salisbury Steaks with Gravy

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 tsp garlic salt (I like garlic so I use more)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper, divided
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 (8 ounce) pkg sliced baby portabellas
2 tsps minced garlic
2 tbsps flour
2 (10.5 ounce) cans beef consomme
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Combine ground beef, garlic salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a bowl. Divide into 4 equal parts. Shape each portion into a patty and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the hamburger patties until browned, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove from pan and leave drippings in pan. Set browned patties aside.

Add onion to skillet and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Gradually add the 2 cans of beef consomme and stir until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper.

Return patties to skillet and cook until patties are thoroughly cooked and the gravy is thickened, 25-30 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Happy Cooking!